Maybe someone has written about this beforehand. If so, it gets lost in the pile on.

Ultimately, MS and sales revolves around one truth: there is the price one is willing to pay for something.

Others have said how easy it is for them to take a $9 job and spend 10 minutes. Bravo! I take the same job at $20 and spend 20 minutes, just so the associate has a chance to prove themselves. After all, it is a real human being with his economic well being on the line. Far be it to me to short change him. Thank you for your brevity.

I do high end non-video shops. It has kept me from bankruptcy. It has helped me get on my feet. But in the end, on the end of your shop, is a human being trying to make it in this world of spies. Which is what we are.

No not at all. At the end, it is a company trying to provide excellent customer service, be competitive and stay in business by receiving real-time feedback from evaluators with regard to the level of service their employees are providing.
We provide a service for the client, not the employee. It is the employee's job to provide service to the customer. It is not our job to draw it out from them so that they look good.

Spies intend harm to the spied upon. That is entirely different from what mystery shoppers do. With the exception of cash integrity and alcohol compliance, shops, retraining is the objective.

@whosear wrote:

Maybe someone has written about this beforehand. If so, it gets lost in the pile on.

Ultimately, MS and sales revolves around one truth: there is the price one is willing to pay for something.

Others have said how easy it is for them to take a $9 job and spend 10 minutes. Bravo! I take the same job at $20 and spend 20 minutes, just so the associate has a chance to prove themselves.
After all, it is a real human being with his economic well being on the line. Far be it to me to short change him. Thank you for your brevity.

I do high end non-video shops. It has kept me from bankruptcy. It has helped me get on my feet. But in the end, on the end of your shop, is a human being trying to make it in this world of spies. Which is what we are.

Huzzah! Perspectives!

Making sure that this does lost in a pile on...

I do not know which shop or shops you are talking about here: "Others have said how easy it is for them to take a $9 job and spend 10 minutes. Bravo! I take the same job at $20 and spend 20 minutes, just so the associate has a chance to prove themselves."

Can some associates prove themselves in ten minutes? Do some associates need twenty minutes to prove themselves? Does this involve the same or different scenarios? Was there a line or waiting period for service?

Anyway, good for you to see us and the people we shop as humans. This is... beyond wonderful! It's great that you have helped yourself with your financial situation. Huzzah!

I did a cell phone shop a few months back, and the associate just would NOT talk about Directv or any of the associated products or add-ons that he was supposed to mention! I was not supposed to lead him in any way, so I didn't. But all he talked about was the particular phone I was there to evaluate. He was courteous, made great eye contact and was friendly, so I at least was able to mention those positive aspects of the visit. But I had to report that no mention was made of any of the other add-ons. In a way, I did feel badly for him, but on the other hand, it was his job to at least throw the words out there in conversation, but he didn't. So maybe my report will help with some re-training and make him a better sales person. I understand the whole thought behind the "person behind the mystery shopping", and sometimes I do feel for the person.

Just this week, I did a grocery shop, and had to ask a Meat associate some sort of recommendation question. So I asked him what type of roast he could recommend that would cook up the most tender in a crock pot.....he HONESTLY told me that he really didn't know, because he had only been working in the Meat dept "for a short time". But he didn't offer to find out for me either. So I had to report it as such. But IN the report, I DID give him kudos for being honest with me, and not trying to give me some false information about meat that he truly did not know. So....if I can, I try my very best to put in SOME positive about a transaction gone wrong, because yes, there IS a "person behind the mystery shopping person". But I have to report the facts of what happens, hopefully with some GOOD in the report if at all possible, as well.

"spend 20 minutes, just so the associate has a chance to prove themselves."

These kind of implications always bother me. It is not our job to draw out employees, just to report on what happens. I have had shops where the employee was so damn good the whole thing was short as well as the ones where they just won't talk to you so after the awkward silence it is time to wrap it up.

I do agree our shops can impact them, but you are viewing it as a negative rather than a positive. Unless the shop involves cash integrity or age compliance, the most likely result is the employee will receive additional training. Do we really do them a service when helping them through their shop so they get undeserved high marks or is it better for their employer to know they need the extra training? Which scenario will result in a more successful and possibly happier associate?

I agree. I think we do the same type of grocery shop and I've had associates tell me that they did not know nor tried to find out. I would make a response of disappointment once which I have done. If no further help is offered, then I write it up as such.

What I've seen or read what others do is to hurry through shops. If you complete two types of cell phone shops in less than 15 minutes, the MSC wants an explanation. What I believe to be ethical, is to provide the opportunity. Many times I could have cut off an interaction, yet waited or made a response that made a difference. Most of the instructions state not to hurry the interaction. I've had days where I was running tight on shops so I had to check my demeanor so that I was not sending vibes about being in a hurry. Generally one type of smart phone shops require that you own one type, are finding out about another type and then if not mentioned, have to ask why a third type is not recommended. I've found it tough to do these in under 15 minutes unless I play the squid.

@whosear wrote:

Others have said how easy it is for them to take a $9 job and spend 10 minutes. Bravo! I take the same job at $20 and spend 20 minutes, just so the associate has a chance to prove themselves. After all, it is a real human being with his economic well being on the line. Far be it to me to short change him. Thank you for your brevity.

If I loitered inside of the convenience stores where I do shops for more than 10 minutes they would probably think I was shoplifting or something. Sheesh, longer than 5 minutes might arouse suspicion.

I would agree with you. My gas station shops are about 10 minutes max unless an audit is required.

One of my "perspective" issues is that I am providing feedback on an underpaid, overworked, under qualified, under-educated Associate in the $9-$11 an hour range when the $50k - $70k a year Grocery/GM Managers are the ones who need to be shopped. I work with both. My area stores have either a high school dropout or someone who has obviously been told that the focus is on stocking product as quickly as they can and has done the same job for 20 or 30 years and has never ordered a customized salad or cake because they can't afford it. Same for the burger joints etc. With their tattered clothes and missing teeth. An Associate recently dropped the Deli tag on the floor, struggled to pick it up with her gloved hand because it was stuck to the floor, got it, placed it on the bag and then used the same hand to pick up the cheese and place it in the bag. How can you train someone who has lived that lifestyle their entire lives? omg I'm burning out.

I wonder how other shoppers and non-shoppers would evaluate the people I have shoppped. How would they evaluate us?

Since 99.9 % of them do not detect us, how could they evaluate us? To do so they would need a complete audio and video playback of the interaction to fairly judge the shopper's performance.

I'm sorry, whosear, that you think the rest of us are rushing through shops and not giving employees a chance. That is not so. I follow the guidelines, which often include questions to ask and objections to make during the interaction. And, as many of us know, if you come back with a report that has a lot of unanswered questions because the associate did not respond as expected, you may very well be questioned by the MSC for further explanation.

Having the attitude "we are spies" colors your point of view and would make me a unhappy shopper. I'm just checking customer service for the company or franchisor. It serves not only the client's interest, but the interest of the people who go into that store, to improve customer service.

I encourage you not to believe everything you read on here, as it may be exaggerated, and not represent all shoppers.

@spicy1 wrote:

One of my "perspective" issues is that I am providing feedback on an underpaid, overworked, under qualified, under-educated Associate in the $9-$11 an hour range when the $50k - $70k a year Grocery/GM Managers are the ones who need to be shopped. I work with both. My area stores have either a high school dropout or someone who has obviously been told that the focus is on stocking product as quickly as they can and has done the same job for 20 or 30 years and has never ordered a customized salad or cake because they can't afford it. Same for the burger joints etc. With their tattered clothes and missing teeth. An Associate recently dropped the Deli tag on the floor, struggled to pick it up with her gloved hand because it was stuck to the floor, got it, placed it on the bag and then used the same hand to pick up the cheese and place it in the bag. How can you train someone who has lived that lifestyle their entire lives? omg I'm burning out.

Boy, Spicy1, I have seen these EXACT things in some of the grocery stores and FF shops I have done!! Not in EVERY situation, but in enough of them to know you are hitting the nail on the head in some of these situations. And.....to boot.....I have shopped MANY a grocery store where the Aisle Associate walks me to the item I ask about, but the Manager I ask DOES NOT!! HOO-BOY....does THAT get written up!!

WTF,

"'m sorry, whosear, that you think the rest of us are rushing through shops and not giving employees a chance"

This is a common mistake, to infer that my comments are directed at the whole. In certain types of cell phone shops, I find it hard to go under 10 minutes without a wait. Another under 15 minutes. I have to control my demeanor to keep from projecting, "i'm in a hurry attitude" which might affect how the associate reads me. My main point is that I find it hard to spend 10 minutes on a monthly recurring cell phone shop by arguably the most welll known MSC. It is possible, as some have explained their circumstances. But the gist is that I am there to find a new smart phone and plan. There are add ons if the representative brings them up. The other smart phone shop I regularly do requires to inquire about at least two brands of smart phones. I have not done one in less than 15 minutes. Particularly since the report asks about the demo.

Not all cell phone shops are the same. Wait times are going to vary. We cannot completely control whether there will be a wait, but we often have viable options for minimizing the time like going right after the store opens or some other generally slower time. While you say you are there to inquire about a phone and plan which should take longer than ten minutes, some reps don't make the recommendations and don't ask for the sale. On a video shop I was told all the phones and operating systems are basically the same then handed a rate sheet. I left shaking my head, but all I could do was leave. I'm guessing the total time was around six or seven minutes.

@whosear wrote:

This is a common mistake, to infer that my comments are directed at the whole.

How are you not directing this at the whole when in your original post you made this comment,

"Bravo! I take the same job at $20 and spend 20 minutes, just so the associate has a chance to prove themselves. After all, it is a real human being with his economic well being on the line. Far be it to me to short change him."

The implication is clear. Shoppers whose times are less than yours are wrong because they are short changing the associate. Your statement is worse because you don't know the outcome of the shop. I was shocked on a video mattress shop to get back to my car and realize the whole thing took 11 minutes. You may be shocked to find out the associate was exemplary. I did my part by choosing the mattress I "loved" out of the first two presented. She did her part by completing a simple yet thorough needs analysis, presenting products ideally suited to fulfill those needs, asking for the sale then attempting to overcome my objection.

I happily take the $9 shops, and here's why: a) they are always available; b) they are always near the high paying shops; c) the sheer volume per week puts me over my quota; and d) they are fast.

It works for me!

I have a couple of c-stores that the guidelines require I stick around for 15 minutes. It can't happen without standing out like a mystery shopper or someone who's trying to shop lift. The stores aren't big enough and don't carry enough product for me to mess around trying to decide to make a decision.

I'm an old lady and can work using the lavatory more often than not, but it's not something I choose to do.

Static times are not necessarily a good thing.

Oh, static times give me major anxiety.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

I happily take the $9 shops, and here's why: a) they are always available; b) they are always near the high paying shops; c) the sheer volume per week puts me over my quota; and d) they are fast.

It works for me!

That's it!
If I can fill in along the way, why the heck not?

Shopping San Antonio, makes me nuts, puts me in a bad mood in general. Getting where I need to be in SA, lets me sleep in until 5am as opposed to 6am. Setting out at 7am for SA, is not necessarily a solid ticket to get to a shop I can't start before 9am.

My regret this month besides the dog vet bill went stupid last Saturday, is I can't help my favorite schedulers. They need shoppers who can shop where the hurricanes hit. I'd shop, but I have no desire to be someone who has doesn't have any solid reason to be in the area.

I did my Nordstrom shop in 12 minutes, including trying on jeans..the Salesgirl was quick, we did a good job per instructions. Who cares how long a job takes, it takes what it takes. I figured 20 minutes but happily got out sooner.....fee 35.00.....human yes we both were and are, people function differently. I'm pretty quick and know what's ahead, while the employee may be slower, every case differs. I had to find the high end 100.00 to 300.00 jeans and knew where they were, another might be looking for 15 minutes before starting the job, or waiting for help. Not sure the point of this thread but I guess it will service someone. I won't go out the door 90% of the time for less than 15.00, but if I'm in the mall, I'll pop in and do a phone shop for 9.00, why, because it's 9.00 in my pocket and I'm there, but driving, no thanks. Flexibility is really what MSing is all about.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

I wonder how other shoppers and non-shoppers would evaluate the people I have shoppped. How would they evaluate us?

I really couldn't possibly care less what they think